Aine
by Rainpath
Summary: The team adopts a neglected horse. Can this mare help Raven recover from an old loss?
1. Tai and Aine

Hey, its my second TT fic, although I had to delete my other one because it was a songfc. Anyway.  
Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans. 

Brrrrrriiiiiinnnnnngggg! Brrrrrriiiiiinnnnngggggg! (My sad attempt at a phone ringing)  
"Hello?" Raven asked into the receiver.  
"Hello, this is the ASPCA. We got a call from a woman saying she saw an emaciated-looking horse grazing in a feild near her house. Since we are nowhere near this place, and there is no chance of us catching that horse, we want to ask you for help. Will you try to help this animal?"  
"I don't know. Where did the woman live?"  
"34 Woodland Drive, Jump City."

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, the Titans all were staring at a sad sight. The horse was emaciated, you could see all of it's ribs. It's mane and tail were matted and covered in burrs. A faded red halter, with the word AINE in black permanent marker, hung loosely on the animal's head. The horse's once-beautiful dapple-gray coat was slimed with so much mud you couldn't tell that it had once beengray. "How do we catch it?"  
In answer to Beast Boy's question, Raven made a rope out of black energy and attached it to the horse's halter. Speaking softly, she convinced the creature that she would not hurt it. Once the horse had gotten to where the group stood, they knew that they could have caught it without any powers, it was so weak. 

"Where do we put it?" Cyborg asked.  
"Her." Raven corrected.  
"What?"  
"The horse is a she. Aine is a girl's name"  
"Oh."  
"Still, where do we put her?"  
"Oh! Let us keep her! She is wonderful!" Starfire exclaimed, stroking the mare lovingly.  
"We don't have any place for her." Robin stated.  
"Sure we do! We have an entire island! It wouldn't be that hard to build a stable"  
"I don't know..."  
Of course, Starfire, Cyborg and Beast Boy got their way. Raven stayed out of it. Robin was against it. The next day, everyone set to work building a paddock and stable for the mare. Starfire brushed her, and Raven combed the burrs out of her yellow-white mane and tail. Cyborg and Robin were building a feed room, tack room and one stall for Aine. Beast Boy put up the fence. "Do you think a person could ride her?" Starfire asked.  
Raven shook her head. "No. See how thin she is? She would die as soon as you put your foot in the stirrup."

"The stirrup?"  
"A part of the saddle that your feet go in. I have an old saddle up in my room. Let me get it." She ran up the steps to her room, looking for her horse's, well, it would be Aine's now, saddle. She found it in a trunk of Tai's, her horse, riding equipment. She pulled it out. She also pulled out an exquisite show jumping bridle. A memory washed over her

* * *

_"Okay Tai. Ready for the championship?" Raven asked her four-year-old bay thouroghbred. He was the best horse, everyone was sure he and Raven would win. Soon, it was their turn to compete. The jumps were large, and some three in a row, but Tai was a large horse. He cleared them beautifully.  
But they were coming up at the last jump at an odd angle. It would be impossible to clear this without injury. She could have just not jumped, but she did anyway. Tai crashed into the post, and Raven fell off. He died almost instantly._

* * *

Raven shook her head, trying to rid herself of the memory. "That was the past. Another horse needs your help now." She draped the saddle over her arm and grabbed a blanket, too. All of Tai's tack would be Aine's, she decided. 


	2. Riding

Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans. I do own Tai and Aine, though.

* * *

"See, Star? This is a stirrup," Raven held up the metal thing that was attached to the english-style saddle.  
"Oh! I see"  
"Hey guys? We need to think about how we are going to feed her." Robin said.  
"Yeah. Does anyone know of a place we can buy oats and hay and sweet feed?" Beast Boy agreed.  
"It doesn't matter," Raven replied, "We can't feed her until we have a vet look her over. We don't know if something is wrong her stomach. Feeding her something may make the matter worse"  
"Since when do you know so much about horses? And why do you have a saddle and horse blanket in your room?" Beast boy asked suspiciously.  
"None of your business," She snapped. Losing Tai, although it had been four years ago, still hurt tremendously.  
"Okay, okay"  
"Why don't I go call the vet and you guys put that blanket on her and put her in the stall," Cyborg suggested.  
Raven grabbed the faded halter, not bothering to fetch a lead rope, because while the building, combing and brushing had been going on, Aine stood still without being tied, and led Aine to the stall. There, she undid the halter and hung it on the stall door. She patted the animal and left. "The vet says she'll come in an hour. Meanwhile, don't give her anything to eat or to drink, but stay with her. Raven, obviously, for some reason, you have tack. Why don't you take it out and we can put it in the tack room?" Cyborg said.  
Raven nodded and went to her room, reappearing with two saddle pads, a girth, a grooming kit, a lead rope and bridle.  
"Why you have these thing I'm sure I don't want to know."

"You don't."  
After everything had been hung and put away, the vet arrived. She had straight red hair that was pulled back into a bun. "Who's the patient? You're dog looks sickeningly green," She chuckled.  
"No, it's a neglected horse. We just wanted to make sure she aws alright"  
"Well! Let's see her"  
The vet (who's name was Cheryl) looked the horse over, felt her legs, and listened to her heartbeat. Then she have the all-clear.  
"The horse is fine, just get her some food."  
Robin came home soon after, carrying a bag of feed and a bale of hay. They measured out the amount and left.

* * *

Two weeks passed, filled with fighting crime and spending time with Aine. The mud had been washed out of her coat and it was a shining, light-colored gray with white spots. Her mane and tail were no longer yellow-white, but plain white. You could no longer see her ribs, thanks to Beast Boy's peppermint treats. She was healthy. And now it was time to see if they could ride her.  
Raven heaved the saddle pads and the saddle over Aine's back. She didn't move. She buckled the girth. Still, the horse didn't move. Raven tightened the girth. Aine looked at her, but didn't try to bite or anything. Next was the bridle. Nothing happened. She led Aine out into the paddock where Starfire stood, eagerly waiting.

"Okay. First, grab the reins." Starfire did as she was told. The other titans looked on.

"Second, put your left foot in the stirrup and swing your right leg over." "Give her a little kick; no, harder than that, and walk around the ring."  
After they had walked two laps, Raven started to instruct again. "Give her another kick. She will go a little faster. Since this is english riding, sit and stand in rythem with her movements. Up, down. Up, down. Good." After an hour, Starfire got off and helped Raven untack her. They both grabbed brushes and then they picked out her hooves. They gave her a couple of carrots and led her to her stall.

* * *

Boring, short chapter. I know. Bear with me here. If I get reveiws, I can update in a couple of hours. Oh! and I accept flames. 


	3. Telling Starfire

Hey! It is time for review answers! 

Sailor Yang: Thanks!

Eva: Yeah, it don't know too much about equine vet care (give me a canine or a rodent any day!), and I was kind of worried it might turn out bad. If I do do another vet scene, I'll remember that.

Blaze83: Neither did I. But I just wanted to try it.

Mew-Xena: I think the Titans might start to learn about Tai after they try to make Aine jump, but Star learns in this chapter. Oh, and its dressage:)

Ravenlover: You have your own horse! Lucky... I'm jealous

DarkSin: Thanks!

Hafewolfdemon: Umm... Azerath

Snowy: Like I said before, I love horses, but wolves, dogs and guinea pigs are my strong points. As for the kicking, When I have my riding lessons, if the horse is easy you would make a clucking sound with your tongue, but I didn't know if I should have that or not... anyway, if I do another scene, I'll make sure I add in those things you told me. Disclaimer: Don't own the Teen Titans

On with the story!

* * *

(This is a flashback)

_A twelve-year-old Raven stood alone under the weeping willow where Tai had been buried. A small, wooden gravestone with her child-like handwriting marked the spot._

_Here lies my best friend: Tai, who was killed by my own stupidity._

_And she left for Earth._

* * *

Raven dug into Tai's trunk, looking for something.

"Yes! Here it is!"

She pulled out a beautiful fake-jeweled bridle. It was royal blue and was adorned with fake rubies and diamonds. Jumping wasn't Tai's only talent,  
you know. He was great with children, which made him the obvious choice for pony rides at fairs. Whenever they did that, Raven would put on this bridle and the fake-jeweled saddle that went with it. Why she was looking for these particular things, she did not know. All she knew was that having another horse to take care of stirred something in her heart that, although she could not show it, released wild love. She dove back into the trunk and resufaced again with a rectangular portrait of wild horses. She laid that on her dresser. Next, she came across some of the things from her younger years. A unicorn model, though everyone said they were imaginary, Raven knew better. She smiled at the thought of her thirteen-year-old sister's friend. She placed the model gently back in the trunk. Then there was a picture of her and Tai and a little girl at one of the fairs. Oh! How she missed her beloved horse.

There was a knock at her door.

"Raven?"

It was Starfire.

"Yes?" She asked, her voice betraying a sad tone that overcame her efforts of seeing that picture.

"May I come in?"

"Oh, um, sure."

Starfire opened the door and stared at the picture in Raven's hand.

"What is that?"

"Oh, it's... nothing."

"No it isn't. Tell me what it is." She said in a firm but gentle tone.

"Well... this is Tai, my old horse."

And she told Starfire about the horrible truth.

* * *

Review! 


	4. Telling The Team and Jumping

**Sorry for taking so long heres the third chapter for AINE.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans**.

* * *

**A few months later**

"Okay Aine, ready to jump?" Raven asked the horse, a hint of worry in her voice. She remembered all too well what had happened to Tai. Aine snorted, as if to say "worrywart". Raven tacked her up. It was about sunset. Leaping onto Aine's back, she warmed her up, then made her trot. After a bit of that, she tried cantering. She moved in a rocking-chair type motion. They headed for thr first "jump". It was three bales of hay lined up next to each other. They sped towards it and jumped. In a moment, the past was reliving itself. Aine jumped over the haybales but her right foreleg slipped. She came tumbling down. Raven fell off and scrambled to her feet.

"Aine!"

The mare struggled to get up. Good. She wasn't dead. Amazingly, Aine hadn't broken anything. Raven didn't get off that easy, though. She had broken her arm. Starfire and Robin led Aine to get her untacked. Cyborg and Beast Boy helped Raven into the Tower.

"Let's get that arm in a sling," Cyborg suggested.

"Yeah," Beast boy agreed.

"How long until it comes off?"

"About six to eight weeks,"

"Ugh,"

Robin and Starfire came back in.

"How is she?" Raven asked

"She's fine. What about you?"

"I'm okay,"

"She broke her arm."

"I can heal it myself,"

"Then do so."

And she did. Blue energy sparkled around her left arm.

"Done."

"I'll try again tomorrow," Raven stated.

"No, you won't,"

"I have to. We have to get this right."

Seeing as there was no use arguing with her, Robin let it be. Starfire looked to Raven and whispered something in her ear.

"I guess. But why?" Raven asked Starfire.

"They need to know,"

"It's just a peice of my past."

"What is it?" Cyborg asked

"Raven used to have her own horse," Starfire said.

"So that's why you had all that horse stuff and knew how to ride," Beast Boy said.

"Yes,"

"What happened to it?" Robin asked.

"He died. I made a mistake when we jumped and he died."

Raven told them about Tai. Then she brought out the picture of him and her and the little girl.

"this was your horse?"

She nodded.

"Wow."

She put the picture away. " 'Night,"

"Night everyone."

"Goodnight,"

"See you guys tommorrow."

Everyone went to bed, so they failed to see a theif taking off on a dapple-gray mare.

* * *

Sorry, guys. Its mostly dialogue. 


	5. Stealing

I'm REALLY sorry I haven't updated-- Summer vacation just started for us.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans.

* * *

Raven's eyes snapped open. Something was wrong. She slipped into a black spaghetti-strap shirt and a pair of baggy grey sweatpants. Barefoot, she raced silently outside to check on Aine.

When she got there, she peered into Aine's stall and saw nothing. Raven ran to the back door of the small stable and unlatched the lock. Hoofprints showed the signs of a horse and a human struggling aganst each other, then taking off onto the bridge and into the city.

_Well,_ she thought, _they shouldn't be that hard to find. You usually don't see a horse in a city._ She took off in the direction of the bridge, following tell-tale hoofprints, horse hair, and occasional scat. All too quickly, the early-morning drizzle turned into pelting rain, making it harder and harder to track Aine and her horse-napper. When the clues led Raven to a dense forest on the outskirts of the city, she began to wonder why anyone would want to take a the beautiful dapple-gray mare. She wasn't a show horse, no one could gan any profit from stealng her...

Wait.

Raven halted in her steps. Someone COULD gain profit from stealing Aine. Slaughter houses pay up to seven hundred dollars for a big horse. Maybe it was some kids who needed cash and decided that they could make fast money from an auction. Remembering a flyer she saw posted to a telephone pole, Raven forced her legs to move faster and faster. The flyer had said that the auction was today, and all livestock had to be there by eight o' clock AM. Raven glanced at a clock on a building. The black hands revealed that it was eight forty-three. Where was that auction? If only she could remember...

Maple-Leaf Farm! Where is that?

"Hello, Miss! Are you lookin' for somethin'?"

Raven whipped around. She hadn't noticed that she had wandered into the... suburbs? A man about as tall as herself was standing there.

"Yes. Can you please tell me where Maple-Leaf Farm is? It's urgent."

"Well, sure! It's 'bout a mile from here. Follow that road--" here the man pointed to a narrow road ahead of them-- " and make a right. Maple-Leaf has a big wooden sign with its name on it. Can't miss it!"

"Thank you, sir," Raven turned away and sprinted down the road. Sure enough, she found the farm.

She slipped silently into the barn (using her powers) and tried to pick out which horse was Aine. She spotted the familair dappled coat soon enough.

"Hey! What are you doing here!" A security guard started to chase her. Raven untied Aine's lead rope from the fence she was tied to. Then she lept onto the mare's back and backed her up. "Whoa, easy girl, easy," Raven spoke soothingly to the frightened horse as the security guard neared. With a newfound energy, she kicked the horse into a gallop and they cleared the fence. Briefly, she wondered if this was good for the horse's health. They galloped down the barn aisle and into the pouring rain, getting thoroughly soaked, and made it to the forest. Then, dark, ominous clouds had covered the sun, and made it almost completly dark. Lightning peirced the darkness and thunder clapped. Aine, frightened, reared up, sending Raven tumbling to ground, her head landing on a small boulder and leaving her unconsious...

* * *

Well? did you like it? Tell me! 


	6. Miracle

Hey! I'm updating again! And so soon! I feel proud...

Disclaimer: Never did, never will

Aine galloped blindly through the forest. Suddenly, something snapped on her front right ankle. The mare screamed and tried to pull away from the strange wire object that cut into her flesh and made her bleed, but that only hurt more. The human who had been riding her had fallen off and lay still. If someone didn't find her or the girl, they could both die, the girl from loss of blood and Aine from starvation. The horse dropped her head in defeat and waited, hoped for a someone to find her and her human.

It was already ten o' clock and no one had seen any sign of Raven. Thinking she might have visited Aine, they went into the stable to check. The dapple-gray mare or the violet-haired girl were nowhere to be seen. They sent for a search party from the police and started to search themselves. The thunderstorm raged on, and horse nor girl had yet to be found. When a search party of civilians heard whinnying come from the forset, they decided to check it out. They found Aine caught in a hunter's snare and moved closer. When the horse would not let any of them near her, the people called the Titans.

When the four Titans made it to the scene, Aine immediatly recognized them and relaxed. She held out her front hoof where the trap clung onto her flesh and blood had dried. Cyborg held Aine's halter while Starfire eased the snare off the horse. The second she was released, she cantered about a hundred yards away, then looked at them as if to say "Are you coming or not?" When the team ran to catch up to the mare, she trotted a little ways forth and halted again. "Where is she going?" Beast Boy asked aloud. When the team was close enough for her liking, she cantered again and halted. They did this three more times before the team saw what Aine was leading them to.

A girl lay on the ground, her head smashed on a small boulder and bleeding. Aine nosed her and nickered, trying to wake her up. The team recognized who it was, and called for an ambulence to come immediatly. Thunder rolled in the distance and Aine's eyes swirled in fear and she backed up nervously. Lighting flashed in the sky, illuminating the bitter darkness in bright white light for a split second. So tha's what scared Aine. Star grabbed Aine's halter in order to keep her from running off. When the amulence finally came, tires covered in mud from the woods and sirens blaring, Aine screamed and pawed the air. Star's grip on the halter broke and the horse stampeded around in circle. Quickly, Robin and Cyborg calmed the horse down. The medical attendants took out a stretcher and scrambled to put Raven in it.

(THREE DAYS LATER)

Raven awoke from her slumber and looked around the white room. She sat up. Her first thought was Aine. Wher was she? Was she alright? The events of the night three days before came back to her. She put two and two together and decided that she was in a hospitle. A nurse walked into her room. "Ah. You're awake, dear. Your friends were worried aout you."

"Where are they? Is Aine alright?"

"They're fine dear. They're back home. Your horse is with them." The nurse smiled warmly. Raven relaxed.

"It's good that you're awake. I'll be calling your friends soon to tell the good news."

(TWO HOURS LATER)

"Hey. Who are ya feelin'?" Cyborg asked.

"Better."

"Aine is okay. She's grazing in the paddock right now," Beast Boy added.

"I think Aine deserves a new name," Raven said as she looked out the window, suddenly noticing that the storm was over and the sun was out.

"What?"

"Miracle."

(TWO DAYS LATER, RAVEN'S BACK HOME)

"So why did you rename her Miracle?" Starfire asked on their way back home.

"Because that's what she is. A miracle. She saved my life."

Starfire seemed satisfied wit that answer.

When they arrived back at the tower, Raven raced to the paddock. The mare raised her head and trotted over. Raven opened the gate and let herself in.

"Hey, girl," she said softly, "Did you know your name isn't Aine anymore?"

The horse cocked her head as if to say "It isn't?"

"No, it isn't. Your name is Miracle. Because that's what you are. A miracle. A blessing. You wanna go for a ride?"

Miracle whinnied and pawed the ground, saying, "Let's go already!"

Raven swung onto Miracle's back and they took off at a gallop.

Well, there you have it! The end of the story. It'll probably have a sequel. Hoped you enjoyed this story, and I hope you reveiw! Watch for the sequel!


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